Resilient wheel.



R. A. NICHOLSON.

RESILIENT WHEEL. I APPLIOATION FILED PEBJQ, 1913.

Patented Feb. 17. 1914.

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S PATENT 0 FIG.

ROBERT A. NICHOLSON, OF RUSSELLVILLE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOA. S. NELSON, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

Application filed February 19, 1913. Serial No. 749,518.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT A. NICHOLSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Russellville, in the county ofPittsburg, State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Resilient Wheels; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in vehicle wheelsand more particularly to spring wheels of that type having spring spokesdisposed between the rim and the hub, so as to take up shock and avoidfriction to a greater or less degree, than is caused by ordinarypneumatic tires, the device being also designed to avoid punctures.

The essential object of the invention is the provision of a resilient orspring wheel with a novel form of spokes disposed between the hub andrim and connected thereto, the spokes being designed to give radially,transversely and longitudinally, whereby the liability to breakage isminimized and the wheel effectually cushioned, it being understoodthatthe rim is adapted to carry an ordinary malleable iron or a rubbertire.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention resides moreparticularly in the peculiar combinations and arrangements of partswhich will be partly illustrated as a preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawings and described in the specification, although theinvention is protected for all desirable changes and uses within thescope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fragmentary portionof a resilient or spring wheel constructed in accordance with theinvention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of thewheel with the hub parts in elevation. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of aportion of the wheel with a portion of the tire removed from the rim.

In illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, my improvedresilient or spring wheel is shown as embodying a hub 10 consistingpreferably of a pair of plates 11 and 12 held in clamped relation bymeans of a series of transverse fastening bolts 13 radial recesses 14,each being of semi-circular form so as to form substantially circularsockets when the plates are clamped together. Y

The rim of the wheel is designated by the numeral 15 and spokes 16 are.interposed with relation to or disposed between said rim and the hub.These springs are formed substantially oval in shape, being constructedof single sect-ions of resilient metal of circular crosssection,preferably spring steel wire rebent to provide bight portions 17 andoppositely and outwardly bowed portions 18 projecting beyond the sidesof the rim and hub. The extremities of the sections forming the spokesare brought together with respect to a line radiating from the meetingfaces of the plates forming the hub but spaced apart circumferentiallyas shown at 19. The portions of the spokes thus brought together formrelatively neck-like portions or stems which are engaged within thecoacting recesses of the hub plates, the extremities of each spoke beingengaged on each side of each bolt, there being recesses on each side ofthe bolt openings 20 for this purpose. The bight portions 17 of thespokes are connected to the rim by U-bolts 21, their threaded ends beingdisposed in recesses 22 in the peripheral face of the rim and engaged bytaps or nuts 23 to secure the spokes in position transversely of therim, as .well as to permit the same to be readily removed if desired.

A tire 2d of any suitable material such as solid rubber or malleableiron or other cushion material, may be mounted on the rim to form atread for the wheel. Attention is also called to the fact that theextremities of the spokes which are connect-ed between the hub platesare oppositely twisted or torsioned alternately with respect to theirdisposition around the wheel, thus overcoming any tendency to create atwisting or torsioning action in one direction, one-spoke compensatingfor the action of the other as will be readily apparent. It will thus beseen that the oppositely bowed portions of the spokes will produce a.cushioning action laterally while the stem portions of the spoke willpermit spring action radially and transversely, the latter operationbeing assisted by the oppositely bowed formation of the spokes, so as toefl'ectually take up shock and vibration With a minimum amount offriction.

I claim 1. A spring Wheel embodying a hub, a rim and a plurality ofspring spoke members interposed therebetvveen, said members comprisingeach a single length of Wire bent in substantially U-shaped form andhaving its bight portion secured transversely to the rims, the armsadjacent the bight portion being outwardly bowed and the inner p0rtionsof the arms being bent laterally to lie in the plane of the Wheel andhaving their extremities bent inwardly to lie in radial alinement.

2. A spring Wheel embodying a pair of hub plates having bolt openingsthe1'e through and co-acting socket forming recesses on either side ofthe bolt openings, bolts engaged through the openings to clamp theplates together, a rim, spokes interposed With relation to the rim andhub, each spoke consisting of a single section of spring steel ofcircular cross sect-ion rebent to provide bight portions and havingoppositely bowed portions, the extremities of the spokes being broughttogether in radial alinement and engaged in the sockets in spacedrelation, U-bolts clamping the bight portions of the spokes to the rim,the rim having peripheral recesses and nuts on the bolts mounted in saidrecesses.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of tWoWitnesses.

7 ROBERT A. NIGHQLSON. Witnesses W. W. SMITH, D. J. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G.

